Fairs/Festivals
Bigfork Festival of the Arts 2026 - 48th Annual
Contact Information
Requirement Overview
- Eligible Applicant Types: Artist & Non-Artist Vendor
- Emerging Artists: Emerging artists may apply.
- Submission Limit: 1
Media Requirements
- Images | Min: 5, Max: 5
- Total | Max: 5
Opportunity Summary
Celebrating its 48th year, the annual Bigfork Festival is a favorite among artists and visitors alike. Our well attended festival fills the main street of town with a a fine selection of arts, crafts, food, music and other entertainment on both Saturday and Sunday from 9:00-4:30. We are one of the oldest art festivals in Montana and the established traditions of quality and hospitality make it one of the most popular festivals in the northwest.
The festival has grown to its current size because of the dedicated work of a core group of volunteers and a large contigent of community members that volunteer for work details during the festival weekend. It takes more that 50 volunteers helping with tasks such as traffic control, booth sitting, set up and take down, publicity and judging to make the festival run smoohtly.
Currently there are more than 150 booths representing a wide variety of art and crafts by nationally recognized artist and craftsmen. Festival attendance is estimated to be more than 6,000 visitors.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS SHOW REQUIRES A SATURDAY NIGHT TAKE DOWN AND SUNDAY MORNING RESET. THIS IS TO PROVIDE THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES TO OPERATE AS USUAL DURING SATURDAY EVENING.
**Overnight booths will be offered based on jury score and for an additional fee.
The festival has grown to its current size because of the dedicated work of a core group of volunteers and a large contigent of community members that volunteer for work details during the festival weekend. It takes more that 50 volunteers helping with tasks such as traffic control, booth sitting, set up and take down, publicity and judging to make the festival run smoohtly.
Currently there are more than 150 booths representing a wide variety of art and crafts by nationally recognized artist and craftsmen. Festival attendance is estimated to be more than 6,000 visitors.
PLEASE NOTE: THIS SHOW REQUIRES A SATURDAY NIGHT TAKE DOWN AND SUNDAY MORNING RESET. THIS IS TO PROVIDE THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES TO OPERATE AS USUAL DURING SATURDAY EVENING.
**Overnight booths will be offered based on jury score and for an additional fee.
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General Information
- Complete the zapplication form. Application deadline April 30th.
- Apply before 3/31/25 and pay a $30 non-refundable application fee
- Any applications received after 3/31 will have a fee of $45.
- Please download 5 images of your current work and 1 of your booth display
- Specify if you have special needs
- Acceptable medium categories are listed in this application form
- Selection to the Festival is based on a 5-7 member jury committee-please make sure you submit an accurate representation of your current work and that the images are clear and of good quality
- Jurors look for work that is well conceived and executed, shows imagination and individuality and demontrates quality worksmanship
Application Requirements
- Only artists and craftsmen displaying their own work will be elegible to participate
- No commercial production work will be accepted in any category. No kits are allowed
- Any applicant showing work in a Bigfork gallery or business must provide acknowledgement from that business
- Exhibitors must furnish their own display facilities
- EXHIBITORS WITH TEAR-DOWN BOOTHS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TEARING DOWN THEIR DISPLAY AND REMOVING DEBRIS FROM THEIR SPACE EACH DAY
- Generally, the work of only one exhibitor will be allowed in each space. A maximum of two exhibitors may be allowed, if permission by the committee is arranged ahead of time and if both artists are juried into the show seperately
- Artists and craftsmen will be responsible for supervising their own booth
- Festival hours are from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. both days
- Each exhibitor's booth must be claimed, set up and the street cleared by 9 a.m. both days. No display goods or packing items may be left on the sidewalks. All Bigfork businesses will be open. TEAR-DOWN BOOTHS MUST BE TAKEN DOWN SATURDAY EVENING. Tear down time is 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. each day and no early teardowns are allowed.
- NO ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES ARE ALLOWED
- No pets are allowed at the Festival
- Children must be attended at all times
- Exhibitors will abide by the Festival parking regulations
- THE FESTIVAL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REMOVE ANY EXHIBITOR FOR ANY VIOLATION OF THE FESTIVAL REGULATIONS
- The Bigfork Festival takes place RAIN or SHINE~Be Prepared!
Jury Details
Average number of applications submitted each year
200
Average number of artists selected from the jury to participate in the event
150
Average number of exempt from jury artists who are invited to participate in the event
10
Booth Information
- 10 x 12 Booth: Tear Down/No Tear Down - $215/$255
- 10 x 16 Booth: Tear Down/No Tear Down - $240/$280
- 10 x 20 Booth: Tear Down/No Tear Down - $255/$295
- PLEASE NOTE-the size of your booth is the actual gross space needed for the entire set-up
- If you need more that one booth, double the quantity
- If you need a special size not listed, call the committee
- Set up begins early Saturday morning, August 1st and needs to be set up by 9:00 a.m.
- If your booth is on Electric Avenue or Grand Drive, you need to unload on the sidewalks first and then the booths (tents) will get popped up at 7:00 a.m. SHARP
- If your booth is on Grand Avenue, you may begin setting up when you arrive
- Overnight booths will be offered based on jury score and for an additional fee. Set up for those booths will start Friday afternoon.
- ONCE AGAIN, THIS SHOW REQUIRES A SATURDAY NIGHT TAKEDOWN AND SUNDAY MORNING RESET. THIS IS TO PROVIDE THE DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES TO OPERATE AS USUAL DURING SATURDAY EVENING. Unless you have purchased a No-Tear-Down Booth
Refund Policy
Refund Policy: There is a no refund policy for the application fee. We will address booth fee refunds on an individual basis.
Additional Fees
Early Bird Application Fee: $30
Food - 10 x 30: $375
Food - 10 x 20: $300
10 x 20 Booth Fee - No Tear Down: $295
10 x 16 Booth Fee - No Tear Down: $280
Food - 10 x 16: $275
10 x 20 Booth Fee - Nightly Tear Down: $255
10 x 12 Booth Fee - No Tear Down: $255
10 x 16 Booth Fee - Nightly Tear Down: $240
10 x 12 Booth Fee - Nightly Tear Down: $215
Terms to Apply
Application Fee: $45
